Matthew Vines is a young author who has just released a new book trying to disprove that the Bible condemns homosexuality, God and the Gay Christian. Against a 2,000-year old consensus within the Christian church, Vines contends that key biblical texts do not mean what they appear to mean—that homosexuality is fallen and sinful and completely incompatible with following Christ. Vines argues that if the Bible were properly understood, everyone would see that there’s nothing inherently sinful about homosexual orientation or behavior. Thus there is no biblical reason to prevent gay “Christians” from entering into the covenant of marriage with a same-sex partner. Gay couples can fulfill the marital norms…
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Russell Moore, Franklin Graham, and Ralph Reed on ABC News
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First-born from among the dead!
O Jesus, Savior of my life,My hope, my joy, my sacrifice,I’ve searched and found no other oneWho loves me more than you have done. So I denounce my lingering sinWhose power You have broke withinMy ever weak and faithless frame.Its vigor’s crushed in Jesus name. For your death did at once proclaim,The Father’s glory and my shame.And you did seize my cup of guiltAnd drank all that the chalice spilled. No condemnation now I dreadBecause you went for me insteadTo bear the Father’s hell-bent rage,To pay the debt I would have paid. Yet your work finished not with death,Nor with your final murdered breath.For death’s blows could not ever quellThe…
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Rise up, O you sleeper, awake! The light of the dawn is upon you!
ALL THINGS NEW Come broken and weary Come battered and bruised My Jesus makes all things new All things new Come lost and abandoned Come blown by the wind He’ll bring you back home again Home again Rise up, oh you sleeper Awake, the light of the dawn is upon you Rise up, oh you sleeper Awake, he makes all things new Come frozen with shame Come burning with guilt My Jesus, he loves you still He loves you still Rise up, oh you sleeper Awake, the light of the dawn is upon you Rise up, oh you sleeper Awake, he makes all things new The world was good The…
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9-year old boy sings gospel music during kidnapping
From NBC News Atlanta: ATLANTA — A young boy’s love of gospel music may have saved his life. Earlier this month, police say a man kidnapped then nine-year-old Willie Myrick from his southwest Atlanta driveway. He allegedly drove the boy around for some time before dropping him off unharmed in East Point. But Willie’s actions during those terrifying three hours are inspiring people around the country. Willie says he sang the gospel song “Every Praise” until the man let him go. Read the rest here.
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Russell Moore on CBS News’ morning show
Russell Moore did a great job earlier today on CBS News’ morning show. You will note that Danny Akin, Daniel Patterson, Jon Akin and some others make cameos in this one. Watch it above. I was struck near the end of the interview by something the reporter says. After noting the positive message that Moore brings to the job, she says, “But a different tone only goes so far.” She goes on to say that a new tone doesn’t remove the offense of Christianity’s sexual ethic, and in particular, its stance against gay marriage.
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Michael Bloomberg: “I’ve earned my place in heaven.”
Former Mayor of New York Michael Bloomberg is an activist for a number of causes. As a result, he believes that he is a shoe-in for heaven. The New York Times reports: But if he senses that he may not have as much time left as he would like, he has little doubt about what would await him at a Judgment Day. Pointing to his work on gun safety, obesity and smoking cessation, he said with a grin: “I am telling you if there is a God, when I get to heaven I’m not stopping to be interviewed. I am heading straight in. I have earned my place in heaven.…
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T4G Reflections: “Softly and tenderly, Jesus is calling…”
I can’t overstate how helped I was by the messages I heard at T4G this week. I already mentioned Kevin DeYoung‘s in my previous post, but I should mention that the other sessions were edifying as well. On the last day, Lig Duncan put on a clinic about how to preach Christ from the Old Testament. John MacArthur had his usual rigorous exposition of the biblical text, this time focusing on John 6 and the nature of false converts. I could go on and on extolling the other talks, but perhaps it would be best just to direct you to the page where you can download and listen to them…
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The Bible is the Dividing Line
Kevin DeYoung has just delivered what may be the touchstone message of the 2014 Together for the Gospel conference. As usual, he was both witty and insightful. But that’s not why the message was so powerful. The message was weighty because he spoke from God’s word about God’s word. In doing so, he clearly and plainly addressed the touchstone issue of our time–the authority of scripture. In recent days, there has been a lot of division among “evangelicals” over the issue of homosexuality. But those with eyes to see and ears to hear know that homosexuality is not really the fundamental issue. The issue that “evangelicals” are facing is whether…
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How to deal with false teachers
In my last post, we looked at six characteristics that help us to identify false teachers. In this post, we will consider what pastors and congregations are supposed to do in response to such persons who emerge in their midst. 1. Correct false teachers. The apostle Paul tells us that we ought to correct false teachers in the hope that God might change their mind about their error.
